Green Euro-MP submits objections to HS2 plans

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and South
East England, has submitted a formal response to the government’s
consultation on its proposed new high speed railway, HS2.

Keith believes there is a strong case for enhancing the capacity and
performance of Britain’s inter-city rail network but that the HS2
proposals are not the answer. In his submission Keith raises a series
of objections to the HS2 plans including their impact on biodiversity,
the CO2 emissions produced, noise, a lack of accessibility and the high
cost to the taxpayer and passengers.

Keith said: “HS2 is not the right solution to our transport needs.
Money would be better spent upgrading and improving existing rail
infrastructure, or on an alternative scheme. This scheme puts too much
focus on bringing people to London. Instead what is needed is real
investment in jobs and regeneration in the north. Creating a slightly
faster, yet very expensive rail service, will create a two tier rail
network in this country.”

Keith continued: “The unproved economic and social benefits which
the scheme claims to bring do not merit the irreparable environmental
damage which will be caused through higher energy consumption, noise,
CO2 emissions and biodiversity loss. Creating deep cuttings and tunnels
through EU protected wildlife sites is not a price to pay for a rich
man’s railway which only serves four stations. In my constituency, the
South East, eighteen wildlife sites alone would be directly affected
while local people will see little benefit from the scheme.”

Keith concluded: “I will continue to oppose this scheme. If it does
get the go-ahead then I will be contacting the European Commission to
raise my concerns that under EU legislation the government must show
that their plans will not adversely affect any EU protected wildlife
sites. I will also be looking into the new EU legislation on noise to
see if this will help local people who could be affected by the noise
created by HS2.”